Kris Attfield is the author of three books: The Book of Finch, Letters to Whomever, The Eagle's Sore: A Novella and Pfhonge, The Inter-Continental Brink of Madness, Air Defence, Doorless Darts and Blaine Bananatree - a bunch of video games.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Confusing Politics

Politics can be such a confusing subject.

When I was young, being the smartest guy I knew in my own class, I was very much a capitalist-type person, wanting to gain wealth and excel at supporting myself with my own good grades.

The problem was that I was growing up in very very poor living conditions, and it became apparent that capitalism wasn't going to work for me - regardless of how smart I was in school. I may have been smart in school, but that wasn't paying bills, and as our family descended into the lower-class I started going crazy from our inability to afford anything.

There could have been any number of reasons why our family was so poor. I will just assume it was because we were, more or less, unrighteous. Regardless of how we were Mormons and how we attended church and were trying to learn the gospel --- I would say we were unrighteous nonetheless. Just being mormon didn't make us right ---- some of our family behaviours were completely awful.

Anyway, so I'm going crazy from having an awful family and our unrighteousness resulted in being very poor which is again helping drive me crazy.

So, I switched to the left. I became more of a socialist in my attitude.

All factors considered, politics are a bit confusing.

I agree with socialism in that everyone should have a place to live and food to eat. But I also think that if you have the smarts and/or skill, you should have a chance or ability to get ahead in life. So, as socialists (or communists) believe in economic equality, I am not quite a pure socialist - as though I believe everyone should be allowed to have a decent living condition, I also think that those who are brighter or better or whatever can somehow increase their own condition. It only makes sense.

So, basically where this puts me in the Canadian political spectrum is a bit confusing.

I supported the right-wing Wildrose, but I am very happy with the right-of-centre Progressive Conservatives.

I like the NDP - and though my leftist yet not too-far-left ideas might make me a Liberal, well, my family has always had a complete aversion to the Liberals for as long as I can remember, for whatever reason.

I am happy with the Conservatives, I have no real complaints, but I think the NDP have good ideas. It's basically a left-leaning premier in a right-of-centre party that's given me some joy in life. Federal can be conservative, no problem, but if our premier was someone different and they turned out to be too right-leaning, I'd have little hope for my own life.

I guess Canada's and Alberta's current political situation works for me, but if there are poor people out there without homes or food, then maybe we need to shift further left somewhere in our governmental politics.

I'm not sure the Liberals solved the homeless problem when they were in power, and my family doesn't like them anyways --- so should the NDP be allowed to give everyone a place to sleep and food to eat? Would the NDP go so extreme as to say that you cannot be rich? Oh - as for Mormonism, I think the mormons would prefer that there be no rich or poor. Hmmm.

Personally, I am personally content with my conservative leadership ---- but I can't help but wonder if a federal socialist government would do more to help the poor. Or maybe that's what the provincials are trying to do. I dunno.

All I know is we can't be too far right, and we can't (?) be too far left, but my family don't like Liberals.

I think the provincial governments might be engaging in programs to stop homelessness, and that's great I think. But I know it's not a 100% perfect program in Alberta, and I know Alberta really isn't likely to do anything but be conservative, so I just have to wonder --- should we have an NDP (socialist) federal government? My dad doesn't like Liberals, so that's what makes the NDP more appealing to me. I mean, considering NDP are socialists, you'd think they'd attempt to end homelessness. Yah.